Don't Look Now, The Pew's Getting Hot!


By Darin Browne



This is one song on the new album that is creating quite a stir, with its old time 50's rock and roll sound and its cynical message. But behind even a funny song could be a truth that we need to listen to.

Warming a Pew

The expression 'pew warmer' is a familiar one to most Christians, having become part of our 'Christianese' jargon a long time ago. Now many churches don't even have pews, but they still have 'pew warmers'. For the uninitiated, they may be defined as "those who do nothing more for the Lord than sit in church on Sunday" and, sad as it may seem, they are the most common, garden variety Christian in our country today. In a decade of harvest and outreach, at a time of God's Spirit moving on hearts in a deeper way, they sit, detached and very often critical, guarding their seat lest it be stolen in the middle of a meeting!

The deceiving thing is that they look the same, and sound the same as those serving God, at least until you look a little deeper. They may sit praising Him; they usually have a comment about how everybody should be doing it. They very often love God, and are right into positive words, faith, and showing love to the brethren. So what's missing?

The Great Omission

Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations," -- Matthew 28:19, and "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." -- Mark 16:15. But this word "go" must literally mean in the Greek "stay in your church", mustn't it? No! The word "go" is poreuomai, which means to traverse, ie. travel (lit. or fig.; espec. to remove, live, etc.);--depart, go (away, forth, one's way, up), (make a, take a) journey, walk. The age old pew warming statement of "my ministry is to stay here" is what makes the Great Commission into the Great Omission! Before we look further into what the Lord requires of us, let's have a look at what most of us expect from Him.

Pick A Promise

We all love our Bibles, and the precious promises of God contained therein. But increasingly there seems to be an underlying emphasis on what we can get from God, and not what we can do for Him. This makes the preacher like a used car salesman, teaching us how to get the most out of our God! This subtle and wicked doctrine is often not even propagated from the front, but interpreted from the pews, because we often hear what we want to hear. God wants us to be happy, successful, prosperous, healthy and full of joy, but where is the agony over millions of lost souls going to an eternity of separation from this same God!

The recent 'Toronto Blessing' illustrates how thirsty we are for a touch from the Lord. Thousands have responded, and thousands stand critical, but whether you like it or not, whether you are comfortable with it or not, whether you believe it or not, the measuring rod is still the same. The true worth of this or any other touch from the Lord is the fruit of changed lives, and the explosion of the gospel. Dare we have the audacity to receive anything from God and keep it within our own little church! No, a thousand times NO! If this blessing is truly from the Lord its fruit will be, regardless of any manifestation, lives significantly changed, for God, forever!

A Familiar Lesson

Israel was the chosen nation of God, being given His blessings and promises, and even His Messiah. Yet, in all their blessing, they turned inward, creating and exclusive 'club' and looking down on the heathen, instead of sharing the truth with the needy world. They overlooked that first promise to their father Abraham, when God said, ""I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, AND YOU WILL BE A BLESSING." -- Genesis 12:2.

Now, shall we fall into the same mistake, by keeping God's blessing in the family? I recently heard Rodney Howard-Browne say "if God touches you, you must take it out to the highways and byways." He's right! Any touch from the Lord should

spur us on to share His love with a dying world, groping desperately in the dark, and asking with Pilate, "What is truth?" -- John 18:38. This far down the track, it is still all about Acts 1:8, folks: Being empowered for reaching out!

Bless Me Lord

So, what of God's promises? Are they for us? Yes, of course they are. But why don't we take Jesus at His word, and instead of seeking what He can do for us, let's "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -- Matthew 6:33. As my friend Bill Newman says, the symbol for Christianity is a cross, not a cushion!

So, What Do We Do?

If our aim is to be more like Jesus, we must remember the agony He went through to save us. We need to see with His eyes, and feel with His heart, and with the same compassion that motivated Him to pay the ultimate cost. Now, I'm sure that most of you are with me up to this point, and that it is that word we looked at first up that has you worried. Does go mean forsaking your country and living overseas? For some of you yes, but for many the answer may be no.

I believe 'go' refers to getting out of our comfortable church, pew warming existence, and going into the world. Sure, start at school or work, or the school canteen. Why not use the infrastructure of your own church, if it has a heart for evangelism, and serve on the streets, or providing food parcels for hungry people. You could even serve those in need within the church, in counseling or helps, or just being an ear when they need it. But don't be fooled by saying "my ministry is to the Christians". This may be true, but we ALL need to share the gospel, no matter what you feel your main ministry is. If you see with the eyes of Jesus, you will view it not as a necessary evil, or something He's forcing you to do, but as an honour and a compassionate response of love. Don't get heavy, just share about Jesus!

I also believe that "go" refers to going outside of your comfort zone, be that down to the local beach, onto the "Island Mercy" or into the slums of India. I believe that every Christian should go overseas to missions at least once, because to not do so sees you missing out on a life changing experience. Don't rush off, but pray and ask God where He wants you to go.

Revival!

This is the most exciting time in the history of the Church. Revival is coming, and we can either sit on the sideline or dive in and see God move our nation to repentance. We need to pray (and that is a very valid ministry!) and seek to go wherever and whenever the Lord chooses. The time for pew warming is over, and that pew will be getting hotter and hotter! I hope that this article makes it sauna-like, and that we join together to serve and seek the Kingdom of God, here and around the world.

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